Exrtaordinary Happenings
by My writing is this
Summary: Dinosaurs are extraordinary. Now they were alive. It was her passion, written in her DNA despite her trying to hide it, her father's passion. Growing up without knowing him had made her fight the desire to be like him but as her life unraveled she found solace with the unexpected and her world would never be the same or the father she never knew. Welcome to Extraordinary Happenings
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: Nothing from JP belongs to me. Just my OC character and the depths of my imagination. Haha.**

**A/N: New story! I've been wanting to do this one for ages and I finally decided to post it. Hope you like and just an FYI there is no dinosaur sex with humans or anything else. Just an addition of my character into the movie plot. If that doesn't interest you please move on. I find the mixing of species weird and when I look for stories I like to read something that feels plausible with the world that's already been created and fun with ones own twist. So please enjoy and let me know what you think. Hopefully the second chapter (which is longer and explains more) will hopefully be up not long after this one.**

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_**Prologue**_

It's hard to explain the different between exhilaration and fear. For me, ever since I was young, I lived for adrenaline. For the exhilaration that filled me. Some might call it a love of fear. Some might call it insanity. But I was never afraid. There was only the overwhelming sense of excitement and the adrenaline that would flood my veins. It was what I had built my life around. Big cats. Wolves. Sharks even. The animal world was my playground and I was the one first in line to try everything. However, it wasn't my passion. I fooled most into thinking I was happy with my life. Don't get me wrong, I loved what I did. I loved animals and being close to them was a high like no other and something that I would never regret. But there was something inside of me telling me that it was all just a filler for my life. I was meant for something else. Hell, my real passion was written right into my DNA. There was no running from it and there was no way getting around it or pushing it down. It was who I was. Even my mother told me so.

"I think you should listen to your mom." Sarah told me as we sat atop her jeep, watching the pride of lions in the distance.

"Don't start with me." I told her coldly. "She left it up to me and I'm not ready to make myself known to him yet."

"You know she was just trying to protect you. He never wanted kids." She replied.

"Yes, Sarah, I am aware of that." I grinned at her but my tone was harsh.

"I'm just saying that it might be nice to get to know your father." She said with a shrug.

"Nope." I stated and lifted my binoculars to my eyes.

"Why did you bother coming here?" She asked.

"I'm on break. And there is no one else I'd like to spend it with." I told her with a smile.

Despite my tone and the fact that I was avoiding my mother, it was true. Sarah had become the best friend I'd ever had. We started school out together. Biology and geology. When I moved on to my MS and PhD in paleontology sciences, she moved on to her extensive studies in animal behavior and then behavioral paleontology. Through it all we always remained close. Talking on the phone on a nearly daily basis, to study or just bullshit about anything and everything in our lives. It was nice to have someone who shared my passion. Someone who I could count on for anything. It would've been nice to share it with my father. But I wasn't ready for that. It was my decision to make. Whether he was aware of my existence or not, I wasn't ready for a father figure. I'd done perfectly fine without one so far.

"They're getting ready." Sarah stated as the lionesses started to move away from the pride, two remaining to watch over the young.

Slipping from the jeep, I shouldered my pack, my camera hanging from my neck, following Sarah as we moved to follow the lions. There were few things in life that really made me tingle with pure love and joy. But as we watched, the lionesses tracked down a heard of zebra, fanning out and hiding themselves as they picked which to take down. Immediately we noticed an old mare at the rear of the herd. She was slightly emaciated, her coat dull, shedding more than the others. The lionesses saw the same thing we did and they slowly moved into position, their bodies crouched low in the tall grass. Raising my camera, I took several shots. Through the lens I watched their shoulders shift back and forth as they prepared themselves for the attack. Smiling, I clicked faster as they sprinted toward their prey. From three sides they darted toward the zebra. With precision they chased it toward the forth lioness that lay in waiting, ready to spring forward. It was the perfect chase. The zebra ran straight into the path of the forth lion and she quickly leapt, gripping the zebra's neck as they both flipped and landed on the ground. The other three were there within seconds and the zebra was quickly finished and the four of them started to devour their kill.

"That was awesome." I smiled at her. "The most perfect kill I've witnessed yet."

"I hope you got some good shots." Sarah smiled at me.

"Oh, I did." I grinned.

We talked and laughed all the way back to the jeep. Checking my cell, I noticed the dozen missed calls, and several voicemails. Frowning, I started to listen to them. The first was from my mother. Now smiling, I shook my head as I listened to her tell me about some show she watched on animal planet about swimming with Orca's and she decided that that's what I should do next. She ended the message as she always does, with a nice long 'I love you' and goodbye. Deciding to call her when we got back to camp, I started to listen to the others. They were all from my aunts and grandma. All of them sounded upset, moving to the edge of urgent, by the time I was through listening to them. None of them told me what was wrong but all of them told me to call them as soon as I got the message.

"What is it?" Sarah asked, seeing the look on my face.

"I'm not sure." I frowned and quickly dialed my mom's sister, Lydia. "Aunt Lydi?" I asked.

My good mood quickly turned to utter despair as I listened to my aunts crying as she told me that my mother had just been killed in a car accident. Sinking to the ground, tears streaming, I listened as she set the picture in my mind of what happened and explained what I needed to do, telling me that I needed to get back as soon as I could. She kept asking if I was listening and if I understood what she was saying to me. I kept saying 'yes' not knowing what else to say. There were no words for the feeling that was moving through me. No words to describe the sadness that was quickly taking me over. When I finally hung up the phone, Sarah was kneeling in front of me.

"Linzie?" She asked gently. "Linz?"

I finally looked at her, telling her in a calm voice, "My mother's dead."

Sarah put her hand over her mouth before she embraced me. She held me for several minutes while I sat there, unresponsive to her sympathy. I didn't know how to react to this. This was never supposed to happen. It wasn't right. It just wasn't right.

ONE WEEK LATER

Standing in the middle of a line of people, I put on a fake smile and said 'thank you' so many times they didn't sound like words anymore. They were all so sorry for my loss. I was grateful to the amount of people who showed up for my mother's funeral. At the same time I was only partially there. I was going through the motions that I knew I had to but I wasn't there. Not really. I was off in the corner of my mind where my mother was still alive, having one of our long talks over a bottle of wine, telling her of my latest adventure or about school. A place where I had been just a few weeks ago. Needing to get away, I slipped outside, wrapping my arms around me as the cold winter air hit me. Elk River, Minnesota was beautiful in the winter. It was far enough from the big cities to allow a sense of quiet, and big enough so no one who lived here could claim boredom. Shutting my eyes, my tears started to freeze before they even had a chance to fall. I was perfectly content being alone when I heard the door open and soon Sarah sat next to me.

"Your great aunt Betty smells funny and keeps trying to show me pictures of her cats." Sarah told me, breaking the silence.

I smiled before I burst with laughter. I didn't know what exactly was so funny, but that was my aunt Betty. The crazy cat lady in our family. She had a prize Persian she used to show. It was now so old that it was only a fragment of its former self. She still enjoyed showing pictures of her though, her little pink tongue sticking out the side of her mouth from her lack of teeth.

"Did she show you Jewel?" I asked.

"Oh, yes. Several." She nodded. "Did you know she has one of her pooping in her fancy dancy little box?"

"What?" I exclaimed looking at her.

"Yup." Sarah nodded. "It shows how good her balance and flexibility still is."

"Oh my God. She's really lost her mind." I said and laughed.

"Yay," Sarah said putting her arm through mine as she rested her head on my shoulder, "I made you laugh."

"Thanks for that." I smiled, resting my head against her.

It was a nice moment, but then the door opened again. "Linzie?" I looked up at Aunt Lydia. "There's someone here to see you."

Her tone told me that it was someone unexpected. My stomach dropped at the thought of who it might be. Only one person came to mind. Standing up, wiping the white snow from my black dress, I followed her back inside. She led me to the family room off of the main gathering space. I walked in and she shut the door behind me. Turning, I looked at the closed door, wondering why I had to be alone. Then I heard a man clear his throat and I turned and came face to face with my father. Standing before me was none other than Alan Grant.


	2. Five Years Later

_**Chapter Two: Five Years Later**_

Sitting in his office, I attempted to keep an open mind. What he was asking of me was completely ridiculous and he knew that I didn't want to do it. But it seemed that I didn't have much of a choice. As I waited, I looked at the aerial view of the park that was hanging on the wall. The family pictures that covered his shelves. The beautiful plants in the corners of the room. Picking up his paperweight, I looked at the small fossil inside of it. _An ammonite. That is a beautiful goniatite pattern._ I thought as I rolled it in my hands. Finally the door opened and the man I had been expecting finally came in. Smiling, he sat down and folded his hands in front of him. Smiling back, I leaned forward, doing the same.

"I'm going to say 'no', John." I told him.

"No, you are going to say 'yes'." He replied.

"And why would I do that?" I frowned, leaning back in the chair.

"Because he's your father." He said with much conviction.

"Yes, but we're barely on speaking terms. It's taken years for me to form any sort of relationship with him and this is just too much to ask of me right now." I told him, trying to make him see. "I'm not ready."

"Do you like your job?" He asked.

"You're not going to threaten my job are you?" I frowned at him.

"No, of course not." He smiled. "Just answer the question."

Sighing, I dropped my head before looking at him again, "Yes, John, I love my job and you know that."

"And don't you think your father would love to see what you've helped me create?" He asked.

"I've done nothing but care and manage the animals." I told him.

"You graduated first of your class. You are one of the top minds in the paleontology world. You've done a beautiful job here and I am so happy to have you a part of the team." He told me with that grin still on his face.

"Yes, John, I know." I smiled.

"After your mother died, you threw yourself into school and became obsessed with your career. You've been everywhere researching dinosaurs and their behavior and how they lived. You've been at the head of several digs that have found more full skeletons that you've already reached or surpassed your own father in the paleontology fold. You've excelled at everything you've put your mind to. You –"

"John!" I yelled getting his attention. "Enough! Why are we going down my history road? I lived it. I know what I've done. I've done more than most people my age because I gave up everything else in my life. I have no home. No friends. No life. I gave it all up so I could be the best at what I do. Please get to the point."

He eyed me for a moment before holding up his hand, pointing his finger at me. "When I first heard of you, I was intrigued but was going to just pass you by, looking for someone who needed me just as much as I needed them. But then I heard who your father was. I've known about him for years. Funding his dig and such. Then I looked into you and was intrigued by you. You are fierce yet kind and funny. You treat people with respect and lead without fear. You are a remarkable woman."

"Stop buttering me up." I shot at him.

"You are twenty-nine years young and I can see you running this place one day." He exclaimed as he stood and went to the map on the wall. "You love these animals and have done a wonderful job in helping me raise them, to prepare them for the outside world. I couldn't be more proud."

"I really hate you right now." I told him with a smile.

"Have I not given you a good home here?" He asked, stepping up to me, sitting on the edge of his desk.

"You have." I nodded at him.

"Spacious living quarters. All access to everything. Pay that even the president would be jealous of."

"John…" I said becoming impatient.

"All I'm asking you to do it to get your father here to take a look at the park." He told me gently. "I need his opinion in order to open this park. After what happened with Jophery, we need this for the insurance. We need this in order to show the world what we've done." Sighing, I looked up at him before nodding. "Good girl." He smiled and moved to the door. "Would you like to get some ice cream with me?" He asked.

Laughing, I nodded before following him from the room. I had to admit that I loved John. He was like a grandfather to me. One that I adored with all of me. He was brilliant in what he had created here. He had cloned dinosaurs and now we were on the verge of being able to open the park and show them to the world. When he had confronted me with his proposal I thought he was insane. There was no way that he could have done what he claimed he had. But then he took me to Isla Nublar and showed me. I immediately fell in love with the project and dove in head first, devoting my life to him and his dinosaurs. I spent every waking moment learning everything about their creation and how their DNA had been altered to create them. I followed and listened and learned more than I thought I could. More than I had learned over the years in school. I was in shock of the island and I couldn't see or hear enough. That was almost three years ago now. I'd spent nearly every day with him and his team since. It was a feat few took on but I did nothing but go to school, learning and doing as much as I could. I'd learned not to sleep and that coffee was my best friend. Who needed a stable home and family to have a good life? I didn't. I had a more stable life on this island then I'd had in a long time. Especially after my mother died, I no longer had ties to anyone. I still kept in touch with Sarah but it was months between conversations and even then they were short. John had become my closest friend. As well as Robert Muldoon. He was one of the few who were as obsessed as I was when it came to the dinosaurs. Though he was obsessed with Raptors. He was the dark side compared to my light side when it came to dealing with the park. I had fun and enjoyed myself. He did too but was more likely to point out what was wrong with something instead of the right.

When John finally released me from his presence, I walked through the jungle, moving down the worn paths I took every day. There were shortcuts as well as paths that led past all the exhibits. I liked to check on them as often as I could. Moving past the Gallimimus, the herd was grazing in a field. Happily snapping up insects and such. I stopped when one started to move toward the fence.

"Hello, Lilly." I smiled when she stepped up to me. Carefully putting my hand through, I stroked her along her shoulder, patting her side. "How's my girl doing today?" She made a soft noise as she looked at me with one of her large eyes. She was a beautiful animal. "You go enjoy the evening." I told her and watched her go back to the herd.

Moving on to my home, I let myself inside and turned on the lights. It was a rather large single story home. More space then I needed but I made do. It was a three bedroom home with a spacious living room and a large kitchen. It was modern and yet blended in well with its surroundings. Robert made sure it was reinforced and made safe since I insisted on living apart from the main complex. I wanted it to be quiet. Wanted to be able to hear the animal sounds of the night and not the human sounds of the complex.

Walking past all the pictures on the walls, the few things that made it feel like mine, I went to the kitchen and started to warm up a few cups of goats milk. Putting it in a bottle, I checked the temperature on my wrist before making my way to the room right across from me. I could already see light underneath the door from the heat lamp inside. Opening the door, I was immediately met with soft dino noises, turning the light on and smiling at the baby Triceratops that was waiting for me. She stood at the edge of the fence, her tail moving back and forth gently as she looked up at me. Stepping over the fence, I sat amongst the grass and leaves that made up her mini habitat, smiling wider as she clambered into my lap. She was only about a month old and needed special attention. She was born with a leg abnormality that we had to repair and now she was under my care to make sure she grew up big and strong. Not that that was a problem. She was the ninth animal I'd raised and the third Triceratops. I'd named her Katie. A good name for such an adorable creature.

"How's my girl today?" I asked as I helped her drink the bottle. "You're a hungry girl. That's good." I cooed at her.

After she ate, I cleaned up her pen and grabbed the book from the end table that sat next to a single recliner on the other side of the fence. It had become my nursery for the animals I looked after and couldn't have been happier. Who could honestly say that they hand raised a dinosaur? Very few. I counted myself lucky on a daily basis. I loved them and I'd realized that, like our domestic animals, they were known to form bonds and were capable of attaching themselves to a human. The dinosaurs I'd raised had always been more people friendly and most still approached me, treating me as one of their own. It was more than I could have ever asked for in my life and I couldn't wait to share it with the world. But first, before all that, I had to share it with just one person. My father. That in itself was going to be a challenge. We talked every once in a while but we weren't close. He never wanted a child and my mother knew that. When she got pregnant they were both eighteen. She didn't want to burden him when he went off to college so she just didn't say anything. He had no idea he had a daughter. It took her dying for him to even meet me. He tried. I know he did. But I was grieving my mother. I wasn't looking for a father. I owed him more then what I'd given. Maybe that's partially why I agreed to go get him. I owed him a chance to be a part of my life. If that's still what he wanted. It had been years. It was about time I gave him that chance.

The plane ride had been uneventful and now I was already in a rental car on my way to Alan's dig site in Montana. I had always loved Montana. The mountains, the wildlife, everything about it appealed to me. But they didn't have dinosaurs. Not the living kind anyway. Driving up to the site, I got out and immediately felt like all eyes were on me. Yes, my long hair was the same brown as my fathers. Yes, my eyes were the same shape and shade of blue as my fathers. Yes, I am just as or more stubborn then my father. Yes, even the way I talked was like my father. It seemed I may have more in common with my father then my mother. At least she gave me a lean physique. She was a beautiful woman. I'd at least gotten that from her. Plus her kindness and big heart. Something told me my father wasn't quite the one to give me that.

"I'm looking for Dr. Grant." I told the first person who stepped up to me.

"Follow me." He said and led me up a hill to a dig site. "Dr. Grant!" He called.

He turned and froze when his eyes fell on me. Ellie was next to him. She looked at me before him, nudging him when he didn't move. She was the first to come up to me. I liked Ellie. She was a wonderful woman. Alan had gotten lucky with her. I don't think he knew that though.

"Linzie." She smiled and pulled me into a hug.

"Ellie." I smiled, hugging her tightly. She had done her best to be a friend to me after my mother died. I was grateful to her. "It's nice to see you." I told her.

"It's fantastic to see you." She grinned. "You look amazing. Why didn't you tell us you were coming?"

"It was a sort of last minute decision." I replied.

"Linzie." Alan smiled at me.

"Hi, Alan." I smiled back.

"It's good to see you." He told me.

For a moment I just looked at him. "You too." I replied and moved out of my comfort zone as I wrapped my arm around his waist.

He seemed shocked but wrapped his arm around my shoulders as we moved to his trailer. Ellie followed with a happy smile on her face. I was making an effort and not just for Hammond or for Ellie. I was doing it for myself and for the father-daughter relationship I hoped to one day have with my father.

"What brings you here?" Alan asked as he washed out three glasses and filled them with water.

"Thank you." I smiled, taking a drink before answering him. "I am here to invite you to a remote island off the coast of Costa Rica." I told him.

"What's there?" He frowned.

"My job." I replied. "It's on an island owned by John Hammond."

"Hammond?" He asked now intrigued.

"Yup. It's kind of a theme park and he'd really like your opinion on it."

"My opinion?" He frowned and looked at Ellie.

"Both of you are welcome to come. It'd mean a lot to him and to me." I told him. "And he did send me with some persuasion if necessary."

"Like what?" Ellie smiled.

From my pocket, I took out a check and handed it to Alan. He opened it, both of them looking at it, before both their heads shot up at me. It was enough funding to keep them going for the next three years. I smiled and nodded at them. It was no joke. John wanted him there and he knew that I alone might not be enough to get him there.

"You're serious." Alan stated.

"Please, Alan, it would mean the world to me if you came and saw what was going on." I told him.

"What kind of park is it?" He asked.

"It's right up your alley." I grinned, knowing John would say something like that. I was told not to give it away.

"Well if you're really serious about this, when do we leave?" Ellie asked.

"You'll come?" I smiled at them.

Alan nodded before their excitement over the check won out and they shared a celebratory hug with much exclaiming of joy. Alan pulled me into their hug and we shared a moment of joy between the three of us. Now all there was to do was get them packed and then we'd be on our way to the most magical place in the world.


	3. The Island

**Disclaimer: The usual. I own nothing from JP. It'd be fun though.**

**A/N: Next chapter! Enjoy! And I hope somebody is reading this. Lol**

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_**Chapter Three: The Island**_

The chopper ride would have been okay if it hadn't been for John's damn lawyer and the mathematician Ian Malcolm. He was a strange man. Too strange. He kept going on and on about chaos theory. I didn't care. It seemed like he loved to listen to himself talk. Sitting next to the window, I let Ian talk the ears off of Alan and Ellie while I stared out of the window, tuning all of them out. Or trying to.

"So, you're the long lost daughter huh?" Ian said getting my attention by putting his hand on my shoulder.

"I guess." I smiled at him. "But not so long lost. More like unknown."

"Yes, well, we're making up for that." Alan said quietly.

"Yes, we are." I smiled at him.

The rest of the ride was quiet. The landing was a little rough but we managed. I was the first out of the chopper, happy to be out of the cramped space. John Hammond was standing next to the two jeeps that were waiting for us. Smiling, I rushed to him as he opened his arms to me.

"John." I said and hugged him tightly.

"Linzie, we've been lost without you." He told me.

"Yeah, right." I smiled rolling my eyes at him.

"Dr. Grant." He smiled and shook my father's hand. "Dr. Sattler." He said doing the same with Ellie.

"Don't forget the crazy man and the lawyer." I whispered in his ear.

"To the jeep, you." He said softly and shoved me toward them.

"Fine." I said and went to the first one, getting into the backseat behind the driver.

"Welcome back." Mike told me.

"Thanks Mike." I smiled at him. "I didn't want to leave in the first place."

"But you brought back the prize." He said turning to grin at me.

"I thought I was the prize?" I grinned as I flirted with him.

"Don't worry, you are." He winked.

"Ready to go?" Alan asked as he got into the backseat with me.

"Yeah." I smiled at him.

The jeeps started out. Three of us in ours and the other three in the one behind us. I knew what John had planned. Honestly, I couldn't wait to see the look on their faces when we reached the herd. We passed through the enormous gate in the thirty foot high fence. Two park attendants closed it behind us. I watched as Alan noticed the sign on the fence that read "ELECTREDIED FENCE! 10,000 VOLTS!" There was fifty miles of perimeter fence, as well as concrete moats, and motion sensor tracking systems. The island was extremely safe for what was on it. We were safe from them and they were safe from us. They were free to live in their natural habitat and we could educate the public on them. We were getting close to the herd now. It was just over the next hill. I smiled as the Brachiosaurus came into view while Ellie complained about the plant life being extinct. I couldn't help but laugh and then look at Alan. He noticed me smiling at him, and then his eyes grew wide and he took off his sunglasses as he stood and took in the animal before him. He grabbed Ellie's head, turning it toward the giant animal. Her mouth fell open as she did exactly what Alan did. I simply giggled and slipped out of the car, walking toward the beast.

"Meet Angela." I told them as I looked up at her. "She is the leader of the Brachio herd."

"That's a dinosaur." Alan said pointing up at her. I smiled as I took in their expressions.

"They don't live in a swamp." Ellie added.

"That things got a what, twenty-five, twenty-seven foot neck?" Alan said and looked back at John.

"The brachiosaur? Thirty." John replied.

Looking up at Angela, I moved to her leg and gave her a hard pat. She bellowed down to me before bringing herself up onto her hind legs to reach the leaves at the top of the trees. I turned back when I heard John tell them about the T-rex.

"You've got a T-rex?" Ellie said to John before she looked at Alan, "He's got a T-rex. A T-rex! He said he's –"

"Say again?" Alan said grabbing John's arm.

"Yes, we have a T-rex." John repeats.

Alan looked like he was going to faint. Ellie told him to put his head between his legs and he dropped to the ground. I smiled before turning to John, walking out in front of them, taking in the herd before us.

"Dr. Grant, my dear Dr. Sattler. Welcome to Jurassic Park." John told them joyously.

I watched them take in the herd before us. "Ellie, they're absolutely – they're moving in herds. They do move in herds." Alan told her.

"We were right." Ellie told him gently.

Alan looked at John who had squatted next to him. "How did you do it? How did you do this?"

"I'll show you." John said quietly.

After spending a little more time with the herd we finally moved on, reaching the main of Jurassic Park. It's a large area with three main structures connected by walkways and surrounded by two impressive fences, the outer fence almost twenty feet high. Outside the fences, the jungle has been encouraged to grow naturally.

The largest building is the visitor's center, several stories tall, its walls still skeletal, unfinished. There's a huge glass rotunda in the center. The second building looks like a private residence, a compound unto itself, with smoked windows and its own perimeter fence. The third structure isn't really a building at all, but the impressive cage we saw earlier, overgrown inside with thick jungle foliage. Home of the Raptors.

The jeeps pulled up in front of the visitor center and everyone got out, talking excitedly about everything they'd seen already. I came around the jeep to stand next to Alan before I interrupted. "Well, this is where I take my leave for a little bit." I told him.

"What?" Alan asked. "Why?"

"I have a couple things I need to take care of." I smiled at him. "I'll be back in a little bit." I said putting my hand on his arm. "I promise."

"Okay." He smiled.

"Okay." I smiled and touched Ellie's arm as I moved to John. "I'll be right back."

"Say 'hi' to Katie for me." He smiled.

"As always." I grinned and took off at a run. Running home, I ran through the door to see Henry Wu standing in my living room. "Hey." I smiled at him.

"Hey." He smiled back. "I just finished up with Katie."

"Oh, good." I said and gave a relieved sigh. "I'm gone one day and I'm freaking out about her."

"She's doing very well." Henry smiled at me.

"Good." I smiled and went to the makeshift nursery. Opening the door, I saw her curled up on her homebuilt nest, fast asleep. Smiling, I slowly shut the door before walking back to Henry. "Thank you."

"It's not a problem. I enjoy helping out with her. You're taking care of her beautifully." He told me.

"Thank you." I said again.

"Well, I should be getting back." He stated.

"Yeah, I'll go with you. My father is here and John is giving him the tour." I told him. "I'm sure he'll want to see the lab and everything."

"And I've got eggs I'm supposed to be watching." He smiled.

"I love watching the eggs." I grinned at him.

He just smiled as we both left. I locked the door behind me and walked back to the visitor's center. The hatchery was a part of the tour. Being able to watch them as they worked. The others were probably already starting the tour process. It would only be a matter of time before they saw the room and wanted to see it.

Henry and I walked and talked as we went through all the hallways leading to the hatchery. It was a vast, open room, bathed in infrared light. Long tables ran the length of it, all covered with eggs, their pale outlines obscured by hissing low mist that's all through the room. Henry slipped back into his white lab coat and grabbed his clip board as he continued his work near the turning eggs.

"They're getting close." I said bending with my hands on my knees, my eyes moving over the eggs.

"Nearly there." He smiled. "I hope they'll hatch before I have to go to the boats."

"If not then I guess it's my turn to watch them." I smiled over my shoulder at him.

"They'll be in good hands then." He said sweetly.

I felt my cheeks flush and I looked back at the eggs, watching the mechanical arm lift and turn them. Henry was a decent guy. One of the few I had met over the past few years. It helped that he shared my obsession. Everyone who worked here had at least a fascination with dinosaurs. But he and I were of similar age and we both had dedicated our lives to the safety of the animals we helped raise. Straightening, I went and leaned next to Henry, happy that I knew him. He'd become my best friend. I watched the eggs while he took notes and finished his work. It was a comfortable silence. One that we'd practiced for a long time now. At least it was comfortable until the door came bursting open and my father and the others came rushing in like children in a candy shop.

"Hey!" I smiled as they all came swarming toward the eggs.

"You're here." Alan said putting his arm around me before going to the eggs.

"I said I wasn't going to be long." I smiled.

"Linzie." Ellie said excitedly as she gave me a quick hug before following Alan to the eggs.

I found it incredibly entertaining to see everyone's reactions. Though all of them seemed to react far differently than I would have expected. It seemed like the shock and awe was starting to wear off and the reasoning in everyone's minds was starting to win out. Ian started to argue about how we were messing too much with nature and the way of life. Henry explained how all the animals were female and how they'd been engineered that way. Ian argued, quite beautifully, how life will find a way. He actually made some sense. I didn't want to like him, but after his little speech, I couldn't help but feel a sense of fondness toward him. Henry, of course, argued, defending his science. I had seen the success of the science, and told them that, but Ian would hear none of it. While they were all talking, one of the eggs had started to hatch. John had gloves on, helping the infant break through the shell. As soon as it was out, John wiped it clean before handing it over to Alan. Smiling, I watched my father cradle the infant in his hands, gently stroking its chin with his thumb.

"What species is this?" He asked Henry.

"Uh, it's a Velociraptor." Henry replied.

Alan looked at Ellie, then me, before looking at the scientist. "You bred raptors?"

Henry simply nodded at him, I smiled at him reassuringly. As soon as the infant was taken care of, we were out of the lab, and soon outside. Alan headed straight for the Raptor cage, now realizing what it was from the sound of them. I followed after him; practically having to run to keep up. I knew he was excited. It was raptors. The one dinosaur that fascinated him the most. He rushed up the stairs and looked into the foliage, trying to catch just a glimpse of the animals inside. Soon the sound of a crane filled the air and a steer was moved over the top of the cage.

"What are they doing?" Alan asked.

"Ah." John said watching it. "Feeding them."

I watched their faces as the steer was lowered into the cage and the raptors surrounded it before attacking it, tearing their meal apart. It was nothing I hadn't seen before but the looks on their faces was priceless.

"Fascinating animals, fascinating." John told them.

"Oh my God." Ellie said still looking into the cage.

"Given time, they'll out draw the T-rex. Guarantee it." He told her.

"I want to see them. Can we get closer?" Alan asked.

Ellie put her hand on his arm, like calming an overexcited child. "Alan, these aren't bones anymore."

"We're – still perfecting a viewing system. The raptors seem to be a bit resistant to integration into a park setting." John explained.

"This is just temporary." I explained. "They have an enclosure toward the center of the island. The big female has made it hard to incorporate them into the park. Their enclosure has a viewing area with eight-inch thick glass with steel frames. She keeps order with the rest; otherwise I'd suggest we get rid of her."

"They should all be destroyed." A British male voice spoke up from behind us.

"Robert." I smiled as he joined us.

"Robert. Robert Muldoon, my game warden from Kenya. A bit of an alarmist, I'm afraid. But he's dealt with the raptors more than anyone." John introduced.

"Alan Grant." He introduced himself. "Tell me, what kind of metabolism do they have? What's their growth rate?"

"They're lethal at eight months. And I do mean lethal. I've hunted most things that can hunt you, but the way these things move…" He said and shook his head.

"Fast for a biped?" Alan asked.

"Cheetah speed. Fifty, sixty miles per hour if they ever got out in the open. And they're astonishing jumpers."

"Yes, yes, yes, which is why we taking extreme precautions. The viewing area below us will have eight-inch tempered glass set in reinforced frames to –"

"He's in the moment. There is no stopping him now." I told John, putting my hand on his shoulder.

"Yes, yes, I can see that." He said looking up at me.

"It's going well, John." I smiled at him. "They are completely amazed by this place."

"I'm not as certain as you are." He said but smiled at me anyway.

Moving down from the others, I leaned against the railing, looking in at the magnificent creatures in front of me. The big female had finished her meal and was now staring up at me, her eyes nearly the only thing visible in all the foliage. Holding her gaze, I wondered what she was thinking. What was going through her head? She made a low growling noise and all I could think was if I had raised her she wouldn't be anything like she is now. If I had been brought on just a little earlier maybe we wouldn't have such a bitch on our hands.

"You okay?" Robert asked me, as he put a hand on my back.

"Yeah." I told him. "Just wondering what she's thinking."

"I meant with everything that's going on." He told me with a half-smile, leaning his back against the railing, glancing at my father for a moment before meeting my eyes.

"I'm okay." I told him looking at my hands.

"You're lying." He told me, his tone growing stern.

"I'm dealing with it the best I can." I told him, turning and leaning against the railing with him, my eyes moving to my father. "I don't know him, Robert. I don't know him and now he's here and I have to play the role of daughter. I feel like I've been thrown into the deep and of the pool with a tray over my head and they keep adding bricks to it."

"You're a good daughter." He told me gently.

"How would you know?" I grinned at him.

He laughed lightly and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Because I've thought you as such for a long time now." He said and placed a kiss against my hair.

"And you're more of a Dad to me than that man over there." I smiled at him, emotion filling my chest.

He smiled at me he gently ran his hand up and down my arm. "Give him a chance."

"I will. I am." I told him. "I want a relationship with him. I really do."

"You should." He replied with slight sadness in his voice.

"It doesn't change anything." I stated quickly. "I want a relationship with my biological father but I already have a father and a family. You, John, the other John…Henry. You guys are my family. Just because I want to know my father doesn't mean anything changes."

"I know." He smiled, kissing my forehead.

"Go entertain him for a few more minutes will you?" I smiled at him. "I feel the need to regroup."

"You care too much." He told me.

"Love you too." I replied.

Laughing, he kissed my forehead once more before returning to the little group that was still talking adamantly. Watching them with a small smile on face, it was several more minutes before John managed to get them to leave the platform. They were enthralled with the raptors. I couldn't blame them. Alan was so excited to talk about how they really were in the flesh that it trumped everything else.

"Are you joining us for lunch?" John asked.

"No. I'm going to feed Katie and make sure she's doing alright." I told him.

"You're so devoted to your charge." He smiled.

"She needs to be healthy and I'm the person to do that." I grinned at him. "Plus I love her to death. It'll be a sad day when she's too big to live with me."

"Who's Katie?" Alan asked.

"You'll see." I smiled at him before walking away.

"Can I come with?" He asked walking with me.

I was going to say 'no' but the look in his eyes made me nod at him. "Of course."

"We'll be back." Alan called over his shoulder to the others.

Ellie had a nice smile on her face while John looked frustrated and Robert smiled fatherly at me. I just smiled at him before leading Alan through the jungle to my home, seeing the wonder written across his face. A certain level of anxiety and excitement moved through me. It was going to be an interesting lunch. Just me and my father together for lunch…alone.


	4. Getting Acquainted

_**Chapter Four: Getting Acquainted**_

Walking through the jungle, Alan seemed to be so fascinated with the world around him. So much so that for a moment I forgot all of my anxiety and took joy in it. Seeing him with that glimmer in his eyes, the smile on his lips, it was the expression of a child. I remembered the moment and I too wore that look. Before this all became my life and was so normal that it took more than a walk through the jungle to bring that expression to my face. Then I thought of Katie and of all the other babies I raised and I could feel that expression creep onto my face. I realized that I was excited to show him Katie. To show him where I'd been living and what I'd been doing. I thought I might be afraid to share this with him, afraid of what he'd think even though I kept telling myself that it didn't matter. But it did matter; it did, but didn't stop me from being excited to show him my world. Something I knew that we shared a passion for.

"It's right about this bend." I told him as we continued down the beaten path.

"Okay." He said with excitement in his voice.

"Don't judge too much." I told him, feeling the need to put it out there. "It's not much but its home."

"I'm sure it's great." Alan smiled at me.

"But it's not the house I want you to see anyway." I smiled back at him.

"Are you going to say anything more?" He asked.

"Nope." I grinned. "Katie will speak for herself." He smiled but curiousness fill his eyes.

Slowing my steps as we neared the house, I looked at the dark wooden exterior with a small porch, three stairs leading up to it. There were two large windows on either side of the door, a set of handmade wooden chimes hanging from one side of the porch roof. Pausing only a moment longer, I stepped up the stairs and opened the door to my home. When we stepped into the house, I stopped and watched him take everything in.

He moved through the small house, looking at everything. Stopping to look at each and every picture on the walls. Going into the living room, I watched him pick up the book I was currently reading. He took a moment to page through my thesis on the coffee table, a faint smile on his lips. He then moved through the rest of the house, the last door on the right held Katie, the last door he reached. I followed him as he opened the door to her room. From the side I caught his expression. It looked like one a father has on his face when he sees his child for the first time. I never got to experience that look, even if I wouldn't remember it. More importantly _he_ never got to experience that look before now. If my mother had been honest with him maybe he would have been a part of my life. Maybe he would have been there when I was born and got to look at me like a father should. But seeing it now made me feel more for my father then I had yet to feel. I now saw what his face would look like if I had a baby and he was seeing his grandchild for the first time. He stared a moment longer before stepping into room. Following him, I watching his face as he took in the baby before him. Katie stood as soon as the door opened and she now stood at the fence, looking up at us as her tail swayed back and forth. Her eyes lingered on me, eyeing my father before meeting my eyes again. Meeting my father's eyes, not needing to say anything, I nodded at him, grinning. He stepped over the fence and kneeled in front of her. She looked at him before me, looking for reassurance. Telling her it was okay, she stepped up to my father. He held his hand out to her, letting her smell it. I wasn't sure if it was because he might smell like me, but she nuzzled her head into his hand, attempting to crawl into his lap. He moved into a sitting position and pulled the infant Triceratops into his lap, moving his hands all over her body before wrapping his arms around her. Tears were in my eyes as I watched them.

"She's beautiful." He said and looked up at me. I could see a glisten in his eyes as well.

"She really is." I smiled at him, stepping into the pen with them. Sitting down, Katie quickly moved from Alan's lap into mine. She looked up at me with a happy gleam in her eyes. "It's one of the perks of the job. I get to raise the ones that have trouble when their born. She has a leg abnormality," I told him rubbing the bend in her left forearm, "and was having trouble eating as a group, but when it's just me she seems to have flourished." I told him. "And her leg is getting better as she grows up."

"It's amazing." He said stroking her. "She's amazing."

"I'm really happy I get to share this with you." I told him. "It means a lot to me."

"Me too." He smiled and ran his hand down my hair.

"I'm really glad you're here, Dad." I said, feeling the emotion in my voice. I didn't realize it would mean so much to me. I hadn't realized that I had wanted this as much as I did. I wasn't lying when I told Robert that I wanted a relationship with my father. This was a big step forward for us. I just hoped it was one of many.

"Me too." He repeated and placed a kiss against my forehead.

Smiling at him, I put my hand on his forearm. He put his arm around me and mine around him in an awkward hug. It didn't last long and we were sitting in an awkward silence. It was the most emotional moment we'd ever shared and now that it was over you could've heard crickets.

"I'm gonna get the goats milk for her. You can feed her while I whip us up something to eat." I smiled as I handed Katie to him.

"Okay." He smiled at me, cradling my baby in his arms.

As I warmed the milk, I opened my fridge to see what I had to feed my father. I was a pretty good cook but I didn't have a massive amount of time before we had to return to the others. But, then again, it really didn't matter when we got back. They'd wait for us before they started the tour. I started to pull veggies out of the fridge, broccoli, peppers, and peapods, among them. Taking chicken from the freezer, I put it in warm water to start thawing it. When the milk was warm, I put it in a bottle and coached Alan on how to feed her before I returned to the kitchen. I started a pot of rice before I started to chop of the veggies, eating pieces here and there as I went. It was only a few minutes later that Alan came into the kitchen and took a seat on a stool at the island.

"She done already?" I smiled as I looked at him.

"She was hungry." He smiled back.

"I spose she went straight to her nest and went to sleep." I stated.

"Yes she did." He grinned. "You know her well."

"I've raised her since she was hatched. They develop habits pretty fast. She's the third Triceratops I've raised." I told him.

"How many have you raised all together?" He asked.

"Nine." I told him with raised brows.

"Wow." He said with a similar look.

_Guess I know where I get that from now._ I thought as I looked at him. "Here." I smiled handing him a photo album. "This is a book of all the dinos I've raised."

He quickly flipped it open and started to page through them. I saw him smile at several of them, even laughing at a few. They had such character. It was the same as having a dog or a cat. Only they didn't stay as long as a normal pet.

"I love this one." He said and turned the book to show me which one he was talking about.

"That's Lilly." I smiled as he showed me the picture of the Gallimimus and me, our foreheads touching, a smile on both our faces. "She's my favorite. Though, Katie is pretty high up there too at the moment. She's adorable. You should go watch her blow bubbles in her sleep. I didn't think it was possible but apparently it is." I grinned at him.

He looked at me before turning and going into the other room. It took only a few minutes for him to return again. "You're right." He smiled with the look of fondness on his face. "She is adorable."

"It'll be hard to let her go. Though, she'll only be a short walk away." I said and looked toward the closed door.

"I'm sorry." He told me.

Furrowing my brows, I looked at him. "For what?" I asked.

"For not being there." He replied. "For missing so many years of your life."

"We've already talked about this." I told him, putting more effort into chopping the vegetables, not really wanting to revisit the subject.

"I know. But I don't think we've both said all that we want to." He stated.

He was right. There was always something I wanted to say to him but I never did because we were on good terms. I didn't want to fight with him. Didn't want to start something that could end with both of us going our separate ways and never seeing each other again. I know I was against the idea of a father but now that my mother was dead I did want him. I wanted him in my life and I didn't want to risk that by saying something I shouldn't.

"You might be right, but I don't want to fight with you." I told him honestly. "The weekend has started off so well that I don't want to ruin it with a lot of serious talk."

"You don't talk to me either way." He replied.

"I do to." I told him. "Just maybe not as often as I should. But it goes both ways."

"I know." He nodded. "I know and I call at least once a week. You hardly answer."

"I've been busy and before now I couldn't tell you what I was doing." I replied.

"So talk to me now." He said firmly. "Talk to me now. I'm sorry I wasn't there in the beginning and I'm sorry I haven't really been there since. I'm sorry your mother died and that you're stuck with a father who doesn't know how to be one."

"Alan –"

"And stop calling me Alan." He said harshly. "I may not be good at being a father but I still am. I am your father. You can call me Dad."

"Okay." I told him, almost liking his side of him. "I'm sorry…Dad."

"Thank you." He said looking proud of himself though he was trying to hide it.

"That was very fatherly of you." I smiled at him.

"Thank you." He repeated but smiled back at me. "So tell me about your life and tell me what you expect from me because I don't know what I'm doing. I'm sure you've imagined what it would be like to meet your father. Now I'm here, so let's talk."

Looking at him, I could see the seriousness in his eyes. He looked terrified. I could be formidable, I could, but in this moment there was no reason to be afraid. Smiling, I shoved the veggies over to him and told him to keep chopping. While he did that I refilled the sink with hot water to speed the thawing process. Grabbing a bowl, I put together a homemade stir-fry sauce, tasting it to make sure it was alright. All the while I talked about my life. I started from the beginning, filling in the blanks after my mother's funeral. I told him about school and about the trips I took and of Sarah and the things she had shown me. I told him everything and anything that came to mind. He asked questions here and there but overall he just listened. When there was breaks in the conversation I made him tell me about him. That's how we spent the beginning of the afternoon, learning about each other. It was nice. Very nice. It made me feel like we actually were a little family. I loved hearing about the dig in Montana. About him and Ellie. I was so happy for him. He had found someone and was happy. He even brought up my mom, telling me about when they were young and in love. He felt guilty about leaving. He knew that something was going on but he left anyway after she convinced him to. He had ambition and goals. She didn't want to get in the way of that.

"I tried to find her once." He told me.

"You did?" I asked as started to clean up after we were done eating, happy there were leftovers.

He nodded. "I never found her. It was as if she'd dropped off the face of the earth. Then out of the blue I get a phone call telling me she was dead and that I had a daughter I never knew about."

"How did you feel?" I asked him.

"I felt everything." He told me. "Happiness. Anger. Sadness. Regret. I felt everything."

"What about me?" I asked gently.

"I knew that I didn't know how to be a father." He replied, nothing he hadn't told me before. "Knew that I didn't know the first thing on how to talk to you or to be a part of your life. But I wanted to see you. Wanted to know you. As soon as I saw you I could see your mother in you. Even some of me. And I fell in love with you." He smiled and paused. I smiled and nodded, waiting for him to go on. "Even after we met I didn't have any idea of what I should do. You didn't seem too eager to know me. I couldn't blame you. But I tried and you did the best you could under the circumstances. I never wanted to try and replace your mother. There was never a question in the fact that it wasn't possible. I just wanted to be a part of your life."

"I didn't make it very easy." I stated.

"I don't blame you." He said shaking his head. "Your world had just come crashing down. But we are doing much better." He added with a small smile.

Nodding, I smiled back, before looking up at him. "When I was young I imagined meeting you. You were always the super hero in my mind that would come swooping in one day. You'd be better than all the other dads because you were my dad." I told him, seeing a sad expression cross his face. "Then, in my teen years, I hit the angry stage deciding that I didn't need a dad and resented you for never being there. But Mom always kept you alive in my head. She'd tell me about you and then, after I graduated, she told me who you were and I looked you up, following your career as you rose to the top of your profession. I even went to a few of your conferences, hiding in the back." I said and smiled at him. "Mom always said I was more like you. I shared your passion and the past never stopped me from being what I am. I thrived on the one sided competition that I had created between us. I'd never met you but I wanted to be just as good, if not better, then you."

"You've done well there." He smiled at me.

"In some ways." I told him. "I love my life here. Instead of the bones I love I have the real thing. I've been working with the real live breathing dinosaurs. _Warm-blooded_ dinosaurs!" I exclaimed. "You and Ellie were right."

"You know about what Ellie and I have been doing?" He asked.

"I talk to Ellie more often than I've been talking to you." I confessed. "It's been easier getting to know you, knowing how you are, through her then actually talking to you. Like my father, I don't always know how to talk to people."

"You were still trying." He smiled.

"Yes, I was. And am." I added. "And you and Ellie have been spot on for everything so far. I would've loved to tell the pair of you about what was going on but I was sworn to secrecy."

"I understand. It's unbelievable." He smiled. "I'm very proud of you."

"Thank you." I told him. It meant more to me to hear him say that then I had thought it would. "That means a lot."

He turned to me, opening his arms. Smiling, I put my arms around him, resting my head against his chest. It took only a moment for both our tensions to melt away, relaxing against each other, feeling closer than ever before. It was a sweet moment, cut short when Henry walked into the room.

"Oh, sorry." He said stopping at the site of us.

"It's okay." I smiled at him. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to stop by before I headed to the boat." He replied with a smile.

"I'm going to go see Katie again." Alan smiled before leaving.

Waiting for the door to the nursery close, I smiled at Henry, "I'm glad you stopped by."

"It seems things are going well." He said stepping next to me, leaning against the counter with me.

"Very." I told him excitedly. "Better than I expected. Lots of heart to heart with none of the fighting."

"I told you it was going to be fine." He smiled and nudged me.

"And I should have listened to you." I told him sarcastically leaning into him.

"Alright, I better get going." He said stepping in front of me.

"Already?" I asked.

"Yeah. I don't want to interrupt any more father-daughter time."

"If I ask you to stay, will you?"

"No." He smiled, taking one more step, closing the gap between us.

"Why not?" I asked as I gently tugged on his shirt.

"Because you'd use me as an excuse to avoid your father." He replied with a smirk.

"I haven't yet." I stated with a raised brow.

He smiled before bringing his face closer, pausing a moment before pressing his lips to mine, kissing me deeply. Wrapping my arm around him, the other running the length of his torso, I kissed him back.

"Please stay?" I asked as he pressed his forehead against mine.

"Nope." He said stepping away from me. "I've already told my family that I was going to be visiting."

"Fine." I scowled at him, kissing him again. "Get outta here."

"I'll see you in a few days." He smiled and kissed me deeply.

"Let me know you get there safe." I told him sweetly.

"Have fun with your dad."

"I will." I smiled. "I honestly think we'll have a great weekend."

"Make sure our little girl gets all the attention she can take." He grinned.

Shaking my head, I wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. Running my hand down the back of his head, I let him go, walking him to the door, wishing he'd stay.

"There's a storm coming so be safe." He told me.

"I will if you will." I smiled at him.

"I promise if you promise." He smiled back.

"I promise." I grinned, leaning into him as he leaned down to kiss me.

Laughing lightly, we shared another kiss, another hug, before he walked away. I smiled at his back, watching his muscular shoulders move underneath the leather jacket he was wearing. Shaking my head after him, I turned back inside. Going to Katie's room, I opened the door to see Alan holding the baby dinosaur in his arms. She was sleeping, blowing bubbles, as he looked at her adoringly. I loved the look on his face.

"I wish I could've had the chance to see you when you were born. To see you as small and adorable as she is." He smiled up at me.

"Me too." I smiled back as I pushed away from the doorframe, walking to the recliner in the corner and sitting down. "More than anything I wish that. I know I've been difficult and at times stubborn and cold, but I am trying really hard to forget all of that. I don't want a fake relationship between us. I want something real. I want the kind of relationship that every other normal father and daughter have. I want to build something amazing with you."

"I want nothing more than that." He told me, emotion coating his words.

"Then bear with me." I told him. "There are probably going to be a lot of highs and lows while I process everything. I need you to stick with me and not stop trying because I might sometimes and I need you to remind me of this moment. I need you to be my father and we're going to have to go through all the fights and rants that we missed out on in the past."

"I can do that." He nodded at me.

"Good, because I _really_ want to have a relationship with you. More than anything I want that. But you need to stick with me more than I stick with you."

"I can do that." He repeated.

"Okay." I nodded at him. "Thank you."

"No." He said taking my hand. "Thank you. For everything."

"It's mutual." I smiled making him smile back. "Okay, I don't want to cut things short with your grand-dino but we should be getting back."

"I know." He smiled and looked at me. "Again. Thank you."

"For what?" I asked him.

"For letting me into your life." He told him gently. "For sharing all of this with me. It means the world to me. And to Ellie."

"You don't have to thank me." I smiled at him. "I means the world to me that you're here."

He smiled and looked down at Katie before placing her back into her nest. I made sure she was ready, leaving a small amount of vegetation for her to try and nibble on while I was gone. I hoped she'd start eating the greens so I didn't have to feed her milk so often. I didn't mind but it was a full time job and sometimes it was hard to get to her as often as I should. Alan waited for me by the door as I did my usual routine of double checking everything. Making sure everything that should be off was off and that Katie was comfortable before finally moving to his side.

"What?" I asked as he grinned down at me.

"Your mother used to do that." He told me.

Laughing, I nodded at him, "Yes she did. Come on."

* * *

**Let me know what you think of the story! Please and thank you!**


	5. Starting Out

_**Chapter Five: Starting Out**_

There was hardly a silent moment as my father and I returned to the group. It was a nice feeling. One that I hoped would last. Walking into the visitor's center, they had all congregated in the lobby, waiting for us. We were barely through the door when a large grin crossed my face as I opened my arms to the two kids that came barreling toward me.

"Lex! Tim!" I exclaimed as I embraced them. "I didn't know you were coming."

"We wanted to surprise you." Tim grinned up at me.

"And a very nice surprise it is." I smiled and placed a kiss on the top of his head. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Alan's expression as he took in the two children. It was a look that was a mix of disgust and annoyance. He caught me watching him and quickly wiped the look off his face. "I've missed you guys." I said focusing on the kids again.

"We're going into the park with you." Lex grinned.

"Awesome!" I said and hugged her tightly.

"Yes, they will be joining you." John confirmed. "They are the target audience after all."

"That they are." I replied and stepped up to the elderly man. "Are we all set to go?"

"Yes we are." He smiled, wrapping his arm around my waist. "I do hope you and your father had a nice lunch."

"A very nice lunch." I replied and smiled at my father.

He smiled as he stepped next to Ellie. The next second I was being dragged from the building to the cars that were waiting out front. The cars were two modified Ford Explorers. They ran along a partially buried metal rail in the middle of the road. The kids ran to the first car, getting inside. Lex turned giddy over the interactive CD-ROM, playing with the screen. Standing outside of the car, I smiled at them. Alan stepped up to me, Tim now shadowing him.

"Which were you planning on riding in?" He asked me.

"I'll take the attention off of you and ride with the kids." I smiled and winked at him.

Smiling, he shifted and leaned toward me. "Thank you." He said softly.

Tim attempted to follow my father before I grabbed his shoulders. "I don't think so, little man." I smiled and pulled him against me. "In the car with your sister."

"But I want to ride with Dr. Grant." He said looking up at me with puppy dog eyes.

"Dr. Grant needs to concentrate on forming his opinion of this place." I replied.

"I think it's awesome!" He grinned up at me.

Laughing, I pushed him into the car. "You and me both."

To my dislike, the lawyer, Gennaro, joined me and the kids in the first car. My father, Ellie, and Ian in the second car. Hammond was to be keeping tabs on us from the control room. Muldoon would be there as well as the technical team. Ray Arnold was the ring leader, controlling everything from that room.

"Linz." John said as I was about to get into the car.

"You okay?" I asked as I took in his expression.

"You'll…keep an eye on them for me…won't you?" He smiled.

"Of course." I grinned at him. "I'd never let anything happen to those kids. I love them."

"I know you do." He smiled. "Robert told me to tell you to be careful."

"Of course he did." I smiled.

"He's always looking out for you, you know. You're the first person he's let in in a very long time."

"I know." I nodded at him. "He's one of the few I've let in too."

"We're family." John smiled.

"All of us." I said and hugged him.

"Alright, off with you now." He said and gently pushed me toward the car.

"It's gonna be fine." I told him before sliding it and closing the door.

Listening to the children, the cars made a chunk sound before moving forward. In only a few minutes the two enormous, primitive gates, with torches blazing on either side, came into view and slowly opened as the cars neared them. On the other side was the expansive space where the animals lived. The fences and retaining walls were covered with greenery and growth, making it feel even more like a jungle. Making it feel like the prehistoric world that these dinosaurs had flourished in. Soon we'd be able to see and experience the beauty of the dinosaur world. I almost wished I was with my father to experience it, but the look on Tim and Lex's faces were enough for me. They looked so giddy with excitement I couldn't help but grin.

Coming to the top of a low rise, there was a break in the foliage giving us a view down a sloping field that was broken by a river. To the right was the first enclosure, home to the Dilophosaurus. Richard Kiley's voice came on, telling us about the poisonous carnivore that was separated from us by a simple electrical fence. Lex and Tim pressed their faces against the glass. Looking behind us, I saw Dad and Ellie doing the same. Smiling, I looked out the window from behind, though we never did see any of them. There were enough of them that you'd think at least one would be visible amongst the foliage, but there was none. Frowning, I looked behind us, still not seeing any of the dinosaurs.

"Sad day." I said quietly, watching as the enclosure moved from our site.

"Why weren't they there?" Tim asked from next to me.

"I don't know, sweetie." I said rubbing his back. "They're just like any other animal. Sometimes they just don't want to come out."

"But you've seen them haven't you?" He asked.

"Yes, I have." I nodded at him.

"Grandpa says that all the dinosaurs like you." Lex said leaning over the seat.

Smiling, I looked at them in turn. "He does, huh?" They nodded at me. "Maybe a few of them do."

"Do you think Sophie will come out?" Tim asked.

"I don't know. She's coming up now. But something tells me we won't have much more luck than the others." I told him.

The cars moved along a high ridge and stopped at the edge of a large, open plain that was separated from the road by a fifteen-foot fence, clearly marked with "DANGER" signs and ominous-looking electrical posts. On the other side lived Sophie, a 21 foot tall, 46 foot long Tyrannosaurus Rex. She was one of the largest Tyrannosaurs on record. She was the pride and joy of Jurassic Park. She was supposed to be the main attraction but even now the jungle of her home remained silent.

"Where is she?" Lex asked.

"I don't know." I said looking out the window.

There was a humming noise as a goat was raised in the center of the field. The sides of its cage sliding down, leaving the goat exposed to the enclosure, its leg chained so it couldn't move far. They were trying to lure Sophie out. She was too smart for that. She was too smart for her own good. I had had very little contact with her but she was a beautiful animal. She came down with a cold once and I was there to make sure she was treated as she should be. The one and only time I ever put my hands on her. It was an amazing experience. The feel of her skin beneath my fingers, the heat of her breath moving across my entire body. At the time I couldn't suppress a childish giggle as I lived my childhood dream. Getting out of the car, I stepped as close to the fence as I could get, smiling at the memory.

It took only a few minutes for Alan to appear at my side. "She's not going to come out." I stated.

"She doesn't want to be fed. She wants to hunt." He added and crossed his arms.

"Sophie!" I called into the enclosure. The jungle was as silent as ever. "Sophie, come on! We're not so bad!" I added.

From the distance there was a small shudder under our feet. A thump in the distance. We waited a few more minutes before we were certain she wasn't coming.

"Well, a step is something." I smiled at my dad.

"Yes, it is." He smiled back.

"Alright, let's get going. There's a storm brewing." I said looking up at the sky. "Though I hope we can show you something on this tour." I told him.

"Me too." He said putting his hand on my back briefly as we turned to go back to our cars, both of us looking at the sky.

"She isn't coming, is she?" Lex asked me as I got back in.

"Nope." I sighed.

"I hope we see something on this tour." Gennaro said over his shoulder to me.

"You and me both." I replied.

"If they don't come out, how can we make any money on this place?" He asked as the cars started to move forward.

"It's not just about making money, Gennaro." I shot at him. "The fact that these animals exist is a miracle."

"It's something alright." He replied.

"People will come, Gennaro. You don't have to worry about that. Especially since Hammond will make sure everyone gets to experience them." I told him.

"We talked about a coupon day." He replied.

Laughing, I shook my head at him. "John will never go for that."

"He will in time." He stated.

"Then you really don't know John Hammond very well." I told him.

The ride grew quiet. Tim and Lex seemed unnerved by the grownup talk and I was annoyed that the lawyer thought he was going to be able to tell John what to do. At the moment I wished I could talk to him. I'd spent the last few years being only a phone call away from him. It was annoying not being able to just take out my phone and call him. But I was to play nice. He hadn't been blunt about it but I knew that we were to woo the lawyer and everyone else. He wanted the park to be a success and I would do everything I could to help him.

As the cars continued on, I looked out the window, admiring the view, thinking about Katie. I hoped she had given her leaves a chance. I didn't want to come back tonight to find her starving and ornery.

"Can we stay with you tonight when we get back?" Lex asked with a grin.

"If your grandpa is okay with that I am." I smiled back at her.

"Is Dr. Grant your dad?" Lex asked.

"Dr. Grant's your dad?!" Tim exclaimed.

"Yes he is." I told them.

"I didn't know that." Gennaro said turning around in his seat.

"You didn't need to know." I smiled at him.

"I bet he's a great dad." Tim told me matter-of-factly.

"He's working on it." I smiled wrapping my arm around him. "And so far he's succeeding."

As the car continued to move we all watched the scenery pass us by. It was beautiful out here. It was beautiful no matter where you went on this island. This was my paradise. Lex and Tim were sitting on either side of me; an arm wrapped around each of them. If this was all the tour was then I'd still be okay with it. I had hoped to show them the wonder of this place but just having the sense of family surrounding me was enough. I didn't realize I had missed it so much. My father was here. Robert was here. John and his grandkids were as much a part of my family as if they were my own. I felt like the fun aunt who could spoil them and then send them back to their parents. Well, their mom at least. Their parents were in the middle of a divorce at the moment. Making it all the more important to show them a good time this weekend.

After the initial awe of Alan being by dad wore off, the kids and I talked about school and the tree house their dad had promised to build with them. I didn't have to ask when they delved into the story of their parents and how they felt about the divorce. It hadn't been a topic I wanted to discuss with them, hoping to take their minds off of what their parents were going through. I'm sure they were trying to protect them from the ugliness but they could only do so much. Kids were smart and from what Lex and Tim were telling me, they knew far more than their parents thought they did. If they needed to talk about it then I would listen. If anything I hoped to try and ease their minds about it. They didn't need to worry about it or blame themselves. They just had to be kids.

"The thing you need to remember more than all the bad stuff, more than anything, is that your parents love you." I told them, sitting with my back against the window, the two kids doing the same across from me. "No matter what's going on between them, it will never change how much they love you. Okay?"

"We know." Lex said nodding.

"It's just different." Tim added.

"I know, sweetie." I smiled at him, cupping his cheek in my hand. "But you and your sister are surrounded by so much love. You have a lot of people that are going to help you through this. You both have my number. You can call me day or night. You remember me telling you that, right?" They nodded. "I don't hear from you very often."

"We'll do better." Lex said with a small smile on her face.

"Thank you." I smiled and pulled both of them into a hug. Mid hug, the car quickly moved to a stop. "What's going on?" I said and looked around before looking out the back window, seeing my father running from the car and into the trees. "Dad!" I yelled and jumped out of the car.

"Linzie!" Lex and Tim said following me.

"Alan!" Ellie yelled as she ran after my father.

"Dad!" I yelled again as I caught up to him. "What are you doing?"

"There's something out there." He said as he pointed toward the field.

"It's dangerous." I told him.

"Why? Because you're not in the lead?" He told me with a smirk.

"Ha-ha." I smirked back. "But kinda." I said and grinned.

"Now you're the dino expert."

"No offense, Dad, but when it comes to the living breathing ones, I pretty much am." I grinned, pleased with myself.

"I can see why your mother thought you were more like me." He grinned back.

Laughing, we walked toward the field. Stopping a few yards away from the clearing, Alan told everyone to stay there while the two of us kept moving. I recognized Harding as the large Triceratops appeared. She was lying on her side, her breathing loud and raspy, blowing up little clouds of dust with each exhalation. For a moment we just looked at her. Taking in her enormous curved shell that flanked her head, two big horns over her eyes, and a third one on the end of her nose.

"Harding, what's going on?" I finally asked him.

"She's sick." He replied.

Soon the others appeared with Tim in the lead. Everyone look uneasy, except for Ellie. Fascination moved across her face as I watched tears well in her eyes. She squatted down to examine the dinosaur, the tears now sliding down her cheeks. Alan leaned against her belly, moving with her, her chest rising and falling, as he listened to her breathing.

"What are her symptoms?" Ellie asked.

"Imbalance, disorientation, labored breathing. Seems to happen every six weeks or so." Harding replied.

"Six weeks?" Ellie asked.

Frowning, I moved away from the dinosaur, my eyes sweeping the foliage. Then my eyes fell on what I was looking for. "West Indian Lilac." I stated as I picked up the casing from the ground. "Damn it, John. I warned you about this." I said aloud.

"Linzie?" Lex said squatting next to me.

"This is what made her sick." I told her as we rejoined the group. Ellie was squatting next to a plant.

"Ellie figured it out." Alan told me.

"Sorry, but I'm one step ahead of her." I stated as I handed him the casings before turning back to the sick dino. "We've gotta check her droppings." I said as I stroked her side.

"There's only one way to be positive. I have to see the dinosaur's droppings." Ellie said as she stood.

"Dino droppings? Droppings?" Ian said looking after her.

"Yup. I'll go with you." I told her as I fell in step with her.

We rambled off symptoms and causes as we walked. If it wasn't West Indian Lilac then it would have to be something else. We bounced ideas off of each other until the large piles of feces came into view. Splitting up, we gloved up and started to go through the piles.

"No sign of the berries." I said walking back up to Ellie as she pulled off her gloves.

"It doesn't make sense." She told me.

"Nope." I said as we looked around the field.

"Triceratops were constant browsers." Alan told us.

"Mm-hm." I nodded as my eyes moved across the ground.

"They'd be constantly sick." He added. "Not every six weeks."

"We know." Ellie told him.

"These look kind of familiar." Tim said, breaking into the conversation.

"What is it?" I asked him, just as my father gave him an annoyed look.

Smacking him as I passed him, I bent down next to Tim. He handed me a smooth rock. There was a whole pile of them. As Ellie and Alan bantered lightly behind me, my mind was moving through all the information crammed into it, knowing that I knew what it was.

"Dad." I frowned and handed him the stone.

Taking it in his hand, he turned to Ellie before they started to excitedly talk back and forth to each other. They were talking so fast that if you didn't know what they were talking about you'd understand very little. Gizzards, no teeth, birds, stomach sacks, regurgitation, and berries. I knew exactly what they were talking about but I waited for them to finish before I tried to say anything.

"What are they saying?" Tim asked me.

"Well…" I said as they finally wrapped up. "Long story short, Triceratops eat stones, holding them in a muscular sack in their stomachs. It helps them mash up their food because, like birds, they don't have any teeth. But when the stones grow smooth, about every six weeks, they regurgitate them and then swallow more to replace them. When that happens, they ingest the berries, and then get sick." I explained for the benefit of the people who had no idea what was going on.

"That makes sense." Tim said agreeing with me.

Laughing, I shook my head and embraced him. "Yes it does."

Thunder rumbled above us as the storm started to show itself. "Doctors, if you please – I have to insist we get moving." Gennaro told us. He was clearly uneasy about our surroundings as well as the approaching storm.

"Oh, you know, if it's alright, I'd like to stay with Dr. Harding and finish with the trike. Is that okay?"

"Sure. I've got a gas powered jeep. I can drop her at the visitor's center before I make the boat with the others." Harding told her.

Looking at Alan, she further reassured him. "I'll catch up with you. You can go with the others."

"Are you sure?" Alan asked her.

"I'll just finish. Yeah, I want to finish." She smiled at him.

Just as the words were out, there was lightening and a thunderclap that we could feel in our shoes. Looking at the sky, even I was getting slightly anxious.

"Be safe." I told Ellie as we all headed back to the cars.

Alan and she shared a moment before he too followed behind me. "She's in good hands." I smiled at him.

"I know." He smiled as he put his arm around my shoulders. "The only thing I'm worried about is being alone with Malcolm."

Laughing, I nodded and looked up at him. "You'll be okay."

"Maybe you should switch cars." He told me.

"I would but…" I started looking up at the sky. "But if this storm hits us, I'd like to be with Lex and Tim. Just in case they get scared."

"Maybe that's why I want you to switch cars." He smirked.

Laughing again, I shook my head. "Nice try."

"Alright." He said as we stood between the cars. "See you soon." He smiled and kissed my forehead before walking away.

"Hurry it up please!" Gennaro yelled out of his window.

"I'm coming!" I yelled back as I walked to the car, the first raindrops hitting me on the way.

The door was barely closed when John's voice came through the radio. "Hello?"

"John!" I grinned as I leaned forward to the front of the car.

"Yes, I can see you dear." He told me.

I could hear the smile in his voice. "I wish you had come too."

"Hi, Grandpa!" Both kids called out to him.

"Yes, yes, calm down." He told them. "I just want to make sure you are alright. It's just a wee bit of rain."

"We're fine." Tim told him.

"Linzie's with us." Lex added.

"Yeah, Grandpa, what are you so worried about?" I smiled toward the radio.

He chuckled softly. "Yes, yes, I know. I'm worrying for nothing. Just be safe. The cars will be bringing you back now." He told us.

"Sounds good." I told him. "We'll be seeing you soon."

The radio silenced and the cars turned and started to move back the way we had come. In just a short while we'd be enjoying the storm from home. Katie would be waiting for me and I wasn't sorry that we didn't try and finish the tour today. Tomorrow would be sunnier and fit for a tour. And maybe after the rain the dinos would be out and about, letting us experience their grandeur.


	6. All Hell Breaks Loose

_**Chapter Six: All Hell Breaks Loose**_

The sun was down and the rain was pouring. The kids were getting bored, Gennaro was getting tired, and I was just plain anxious. Something didn't feel right about what was going on but I couldn't put my foot on it. The worse the storm became the more uneasy I felt. Trying to focus on something else, I felt something in my back pocket. Reaching into it, I pulled out a folded picture. Opening it, I smiled down at a picture of Henry and me with Katie in between us.

"Who's that?" Lex asked as she leaned against my side.

"This is Henry." I smiled at her.

"Your _boyfriend_?" Tim grinned as he drew out the word. "Hey, there's a dinosaur." He said snatching the picture.

"As a matter of fact he is." I grinned back at him.

"Where is he?" Lex asked, taking the picture from her brother.

"He's on the boat going to the mainland." I told her.

"Why didn't he stay with you?" She frowned up at me as she handed it back.

"Because he knew what this weekend was for." I replied as I tucked a stand of hair behind her ear.

"And what was it for?" Tim smiled.

Smiling at him, I shook my head, "You two are just full of questions aren't you?"

"What else are we supposed to do?" Lex smiled.

"You have a point." I nodded at her. "Well, this weekend is about family. Not only for you guys and your grandfather but also for me and for my dad. We haven't had the easiest road as a family and your grandpa knows that. This was a chance for us to get closer."

"Is it working?" Lex asked.

"Yes it is." I smiled.

"I'm glad." Tim smiled back.

"Me too." I said gently ruffling his hair.

We were all sharing a happy moment when the car gave a subtle jerk and slowed to a stop. All smiles were gone as we were engulfed in darkness. I momentarily looked around the car before immediately getting out of it. Looking up at the fence I noticed that the lights on the fence were off. I immediately put myself into a subdued calm, knowing that if the power was out there was a good chance that this fence wasn't working and we were right in front of the tyrannosaur.

"Wait here." I told everyone in the car before closing the door and turning toward the other car. I must have looked worried because Alan got out of the car as quickly as possible.

"What is it?" Alan said running up to me.

"The powers out." I told him.

"I can see that. What does that mean?" He asked.

Stepping closer to him, I looked him in his eyes unblinkingly as I told him, "It means that this fence is not working."

"How fast do you think they'll come get us?" He asked.

"As fast as they can." I told him. "The real question is how long will it take Sophie to figure out that it's not on."

"What should we do?" He asked.

"Initially, I'd say follow the tracks back to the visitor's center. But if fences are down all over the park it would be safer just to stay with the cars." I stated as I crossed my arms.

Both of us stood there, drenched from the rain, staring at each other. "We have to keep everyone calm."

"I know." I nodded at him. "I'll try and keep the kids from suspecting much but I've probably already gave too much away by getting out of the car."

"Yeah, well, Ian seems uninterested." Alan told me.

"Well, it did just happen." I told him. "I probably reacted too quickly."

"You've been living here for years. You're the biggest tell we have." He stated.

"Very true." I told him with a half-smile.

"Linzie?!" Tim called from the car.

"I better get back to the kids." I told my dad.

"I'll go back to Malcolm." He said with a slight tone to his voice.

"You know, I kind of like him." I smiled at him.

He just eyed me, giving me a quick kiss against my cheek, before he ran back to the car. Doing the same, I slid back into the car and all eyes were on me. I turned in the seat so I could face them all.

"Well, the power's out." I stated.

"Yeah, we know that. You seemed uneasy when you got out of the car." Gennaro frowned at me.

"It was just a reaction." I told him.

"You were looking up at the fence. The lights are off. Does that mean the fence isn't working?" He asked.

Lex and Tim were looking at me with worried expressions. "It's fine." I said putting a hand on each of their heads. "Everything is fine. Mr. Arnold is already fixing the problem. If that doesn't work, your grandfather will send Robert to get us with the jeep."

"Yeah?" Lex asked still unsure.

"I am 100% sure." I smiled, putting my forehead against hers. She smiled and wrapped her arms around me.

Looking at Gennaro, he looked anything but convinced. The kids I could fool, but he knew that something more might be afoot. I fell back into a game of personal questions with the kids while Gennaro sat in the front, already feeling the impending heat now that the A/C wasn't working. Ignoring him as the kids and I talked, we then fell into a game of rock, paper, scissors, and finally a real game of 20 questions. Turns out they were smarter then I gave them credit for. I failed three times, almost a fourth, when there was a thud on the roof of the car. Looking up, through the bursts of lightening, we could see the leg of the goat sitting on the Plexiglas sunroof. Looking through the fence, all we can see from where the goat was chained was the chain dangling from the post. There were gasps and Lex screamed. I could feel the tension coming off of Gennaro. Animal parts were an everyday site for me, leaving me un-phased. All our eyes looked past the leg and could clearly see a clawed hand over the fence. In the next moment Gennaro had opened the door and fled the car, watching him run as fast as he could to the outhouse that was twenty or thirty yards away.

"He left us." Lex stated.

"It's okay. I'm right here." I said embracing her.

"He left us." She repeated as she looked up at me.

"But that's not what I'm gonna do." I told her making her look at me.

Just then, the DANGER sign from the fence slammed down on the hood of the car. Even I jumped as we all stared at it. Both kids glued themselves to my sides as we listened to the creaking of the fence, watched as it started to sway back and forth. Turning my head, I saw the T-rex with the fence in her jaws, the fence breaking from the force of them. She stepped out of the enclosure, releasing a loud roar before swinging her head back and forth, looking at the vehicles. She stepped toward our car and my eyes fall on the open car door. Tim was one step ahead of me, already jumping into the front seat, pulling it shut.

"Don't!" I whispered harshly. He scrambled back to me and Lex as the rex lowered its head to us. "Don't move." I told them as I stared into her large eye.

Hearing the sound of a voice behind us, the rex turned and took the steps needed to reach the other vehicle. Turning in the seat, I watched as it peered into my father's car. Now a small amount of panic was starting to creep into me. My hand was on the door handle as I watched the rex push against the car with her head.

"Oh, God." I whispered, almost starting to open the door when a flashlight came to life inside of the car. "What are you doing?!" I exclaimed as I tore the light from Lex's hands.

"I'm sorry!" She told me frantically.

"Lex!" I said trying to find the stupid off switch. "Where's the fucking switch!"

"I'm sorry!" She repeated.

"Why did you do that, Lex?" Tim frowned at his sister.

It took only a second to feel the vibration from the rex as she made her way back to our car. Trying to hide the light, I ordered the kids to hold still as the rex lowered her head to look at us. Staring into her eye, a sense of fear starting to show as I let out a shuttering breath.

"Linzie?" Tim said softly.

"Quiet." I whispered to them.

The light was still visible under the jacket. The flickering of it still drawing the rex's attention. She gave a little sound as she started to rub her head against the car several times, lifting in up in the process. The kids screamed. I tried to shush them but even I was terrified in this moment. In frustration, she took a step back, leaning down and roaring at us, her mouth just outside the window. The glass rattled, Lex screamed as her hands flew up to her ears, and Tim's did the same as I stared at the giant animal. At some point the jacket shifted from the flashlight and the light lit up the car. My eyes grew wide as I shoved Tim down to the floor and turned just in time to brace myself as the rex thrust her head through the sunroof. Lex and I screamed as the frame caved and the Plexiglas fell down on us.

It miraculously remained intact, our arms and legs bracing the glass between us and the jaws of the dinosaur. Lex continued to scream as I watched the glass start to spider with the force of the rex's head. The windows shattered as the rex rammed against the side of the car, making it tilt. We were jostled, Lex falling onto her little brother on the floor of the car. For a moment I was alone in staring into the depths of her mouth. The force unbelievable. In the next moment the rex shoved the side of the car, tilting it before shoving harder, causing it to roll to the side. The glass shattered and I felt several shards cut into me as the three of us tumbled around the car. With another nudge, the car was flipped upside down. My eyes, wide with fear, followed the rex's movements, trying to figure out what it was going to do next. The ground was soft from the rain, mud already starting to fill the interior. The kids were still screaming as the rex stepped onto the car, buckling the frame, and pushing it further into the mud. We crawled toward the back of the window as the frame continued to buckle. Mud and rain water starting to fill the little space left in the car. My leg was on top of Tim's as the car started to cave in, the seat pinning us to each other and in the car as it sunk even further into the mud. Seeing the snout of the rex, it pushed the car as it tried it's best to reach us. Moving my arm around Lex, I pulled her into my side as I tried to move her as far away from the animal as I could.

My mind was moving through anything I could possible do to get us out of this. The rex must have gotten out of the enclosure by the terraced area at one side. It was high enough for it to be possible. I also knew that there was a sharp precipice, at least fifty feet deep, right next to it. There was another crunch and the pressure increased on my leg. Looking back, there was no way to free myself or Tim from the car, not with all three of us smashed in the center of it to keep from the giant jaws. Lex was frantic but she was the only one who'd be able to crawl out of here. But before I could form a plan in my mind I could hear my father's voice yelling. The car grew still as the rex removed her foot from it, turning her attention toward the voice.

"Dad!" I yelled. "It's okay. It's okay." I said trying to calm the kids. _What are you doing?_ I thought as I heard my father's voice again.

The rex was effectively distracted and started to move away from our car. I heard Alan tell Ian to freeze. Then the rex's footsteps moved faster and in the next second my dad was at the car.

"Dad." I said looking at him.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Get her out." I told him and gently shoved Lex toward him with shaky hands. His eyes were locked onto mine. "Get her out." I repeated. He nodded and took Lex by the arm, gently helping her from the demolished car.

"My legs are stuck!" Tim told me.

"Mine too, buddy." I said putting my arm around him.

"Linzie." Alan said bending down as soon as Lex was free of the car.

"Dad." I said gripping his arm.

He could feel my shaking, making an intense worry cross his face. Smiling at him as reassuringly as I could, we shared a short moment before Lex's scream broke us from it. Alan quickly straightened, silencing her scream, as the rex drew near. Tim screamed as a giant foot came into view.

"Shh, it's okay." I told him. "Just stay quiet."

"Linzie, I'm scared." He whispered to me.

"I know, sweetie. So am I." I said kissing his head. In this moment scared didn't even cover it. Forget adrenaline. Forget exhalation. I was terrified.

My head jerked toward the dino as she made a short agitated roar and the car started to spin. Tim cried out as I gripped him tighter, watching as the world blurred with each turn. I felt when the car hit the barrier. My stomach turning as I felt it lift up onto the ledge as the rex continued to push it, knowing there was a meal inside of it.

"Tim, I need you to hold onto something, okay?" I told him. "We're going to go over the edge and I need you to brace yourself."

"Okay." He nodded at me.

"Okay." I smiled at him.

I could hear our names being yelled from the outside as I felt the teeter between free air and the ground where they just were. Gripping Tim tightly, I waited for the inevitable. Repeating that it was going to be okay, the car kept shifting closer to the edge. Then there was one last push and the car fell. Tim gripped the side of the car while I sheltered him from any harm. The car smashed into the top of a leafy tree, jamming into the branches. I was jostled free of the car, blacking out as my head hit something along the way.

When I woke up I was laying over a branch, my body bent in half. Groaning, I slowly lifted my torso, pain shooting through my entire being. Managing to get my leg around the branch, I moved on top of it. Running a shaky hand through my hair, it felt sticky with drying blood. Sighing, looking down, I noticed the laceration that ran nearly the length of my abdomen. The bleeding was nearly staunched, allowing me to move to my other injuries. There was a nice cut running from my left shoulder blade ending just after it curved around my shoulder. Another running from thigh to calf on my right side, heavy bruising moving across my knee. I was lucky that most of the bleeding had stopped. There was also several cuts from the glass and the fall. Despite all that the worst of it was the shard of glass stuck in the tender flesh beneath my left forearm. Shaking, I gripped it before the pain made me stop, my eyes watering.

"Frickin A." I whispered to myself.

Leaving it be, I looked up to see where I had come through the tree but there was no sign of the car. Frowning, I took a better look around, realizing that I wasn't even in the same tree anymore. I had been launched into the one next to it. Frowning, I slowly made my way down the branches of the tree. It was slow going, but I was managing. About half way down I saw the car belly up on the jungle floor. Picking up my pace, I dropped the last few feet, exclaiming with pain before rushing to the car, limping as I moved as fast as I could. It was empty. There was a moment of panic before I noticed the sets of footprints moving away from the car. _Dad._ I thought as I smiled, calming myself as I dropped to my knees.

Now that I knew they were alive, I took a deep breath looking my surroundings. The jungle was dense here with a nearby drainage pipe, rain water flowing from it. Slowing my getting to my feet, I stepped toward the water, eager to clean myself up. Stepping into the heavy flow, I cleaned my wounds, gritting my teeth to keep myself from yelling out from the pain. It hurt like hell, worse than anything I've ever felt before, but it was necessary. The last thing I needed was infection to set in. Tearing a piece of my shirt off at the base, I used it as a tourniquet, wrapping it tightly around my arm just above my elbow, holding the fabric taut with my teeth. Taking a series of deep breaths, I bit down on the fabric as hard as I could, holding my breath as I pulled the shard of glass out of my arm. The pain made my vision speckle making me fall to my knees, water flowing over my head. Squeezing the wound where the blood was flowing, I tried to focus on my breathing as I waited for my head to clear. When my vision finally cleared, I looked down at the wound. It didn't spurt, telling me that my arteries were intact. Taking a deep breath, I cleaned it, and wrapped it tightly. As soon as I was done I sat against a root of the tree, still woozy from blood loss.

Shutting my eyes, I took several slow breaths to try and clear my head. Though they shot open when I heard a thump. It happened again. And again. Impact tremors. Standing, I tried to pinpoint where she was. Then she appeared, pushing through the brush. Freezing, I waited for her to pass by, but the blood had attracted her. Lowering her head she smelled the drainage pipe before swinging her head in my direction. She could smell me. There was no doubt in my mind that she could. She was mere inches in front of me, her hot breath moving over me. Then she stuck her tongue out, tasting the blood on my skin. Holding my breath, I attempted to wait her out. Then she pushed against my abdomen, causing me to involuntarily yell out, lifting me off the ground with her nose. My abdomen screamed with pain and I gripped her nose to try and relieve some of the pressure. The noise and contact told her that she had found herself a snack. She took a step back long enough to let out a short roar before lunging at me. I ducked fast enough to avoid her, hearing the crack of the tree as her nose collided with it. She pulled back from it, shaking her head, giving me enough time to run for it.

Breathing hard, I pumped my legs as I ran as fast as I could through the jungle. I could hear and _feel_ her following me. Ducking behind a tree I backtracked, rushing back the way I had come until the same tree I'd been in was in site. Clambering back up into its branches, I was out of reach just in time for Sophie to reach the base. She looked up at me, letting out a loud roar before she tried to jar me free by slamming herself against the trunk. The tree managed to hold itself up against her, giving her no choice but to leave me alone. Staying put for only a few more minutes, I decided to start moving again, though it wasn't on the ground. Moving through the limbs, I leapt from one tree to the next, hoping to put as much space between me and the rex as I could. After what felt like forever, I stopped to rest, feeling a wave of fatigue. When I had built up enough energy, I got up again, starting to move, when there was rustling again. For a moment panic filled me, only it wasn't the rex. A long neck appeared as a brontosaurus passed the tree. It was a herd of them. Without giving it a second thought, I dropped from the branch, landing on the animal's back. She didn't even seem to notice. Settling down in the space between her neck and shoulders, I took comfort in the slow movement of the beautiful creature beneath me. Rubbing her hide, I attempted to lie down, but found it all too uncomfortable and painful to keep up. Forced to stay sitting, I tried to simply appreciate the ride, knowing that they would warn me if any of the predators came near. They gave me a sense of safety that I was craving in this moment. I didn't know where the kids were. I didn't know where my father was. Feeling a wave of emotion fill me, I couldn't hold back the tears that filled my eyes. Here I was, in the most amazing place in the world, sitting atop a dinosaur, crying for the loss that this place had brought.

"What am I doing?" I asked myself as I wiped the tears from my eyes. "I know this island better than anyone. I can find my family and get us back." I tried to build myself up to keep moving.

Needing to rest, I slouched against her neck, crossing my arms across my abdomen, waiting for the pain to dull, praying for sleep to take me. Shutting my eyes, I took a few deep breaths, Alan, Lex, and Tim running through my head. Henry and all the things we've shared. I remembered everyone and everything I loved. It brought me peace. Enough peace that I finally relaxed and sleep took me. The subtle movement of the wonderful creature beneath me making it come easier.


End file.
